LETTER: Current transit not perfect

Editor,

Community leaders have called upon citizens to use personal vehicles less and mass transit more. Ideally, this plea would be effective. However, it lacks incentives, leaving the campaign impotent.

Riding mass-transit presents several barriers to the individual. Studies in community development indicate that commutes are typically not a bee-line to and from work. Rather, the typical commuter consolidates errands into their commutes. Commuters stop at the grocery store, the bank and the dry cleaners. Mass-transit in low-density populations, like Cache Valley, does not draw enough demand for frequent bus stops. In Logan another bus won’t be by in 10 minutes – the wait is up to a half hour. Hence, considering mass-transit as an alternative creates a dilemma. The commuter could take the bee-line commute on the bus, not running errands, and lose several hours to walking and waiting. Of course, the errands will still need to be done. If the commuter uses the car once home, the effects of using mass transit are nearly negated.

Whatever option the mass-transit commuter uses, a stinging reality must be faced. The commuter has borne significant costs and inconvenience in time. The benefits of the actions are, at best negligible, as they are spread thin across the entire community.

LTD officials recently cited an increase in ridership as being caused by responses to altruistic pleas. However, correlation is not causation. The change in ridership is statistically insignificant. In the first two weeks of November and December there was a drop from 25,000 riders to 23,000, a change of 8 percent. The first two weeks of January logged 26,000 riders a change of 8.88 percent. The change is an average fluctuation.

Mass transit’s value in Cache Valley is its ability to mobilize the elderly, folks with disabilities and the impoverished.

Only plans to alleviate pollution with personal incentives will work. Community leaders should consider more efficacious campaigns and strategies to reduce pollution.

Thomas Reed Grover